Course: Research Methodology (LBPG 5018)
Aim of research
The study aims to determine and investigate the constraints of communication management in project implementation through a cross-sectional survey of both small and big organization projects.
Objectives of the research
i. To understand the barriers of effective communication and their influence on project implementation and performance.
ii. To examine big and small projects’ tools of communication and how they are used to convey and pass information between project managers, stakeholders, and other professionals.
iii. To investigate the effects of poor communication management on project implementation and performance.
The rationale for study
There is a wide array of studies that have been conducted on project communication management. Scholars have argued about the importance of communication in projects and how it can improve or compromise project performance (Al-Mayahi et al 2017, pp. 1-8; Sonta-Draczkowska 2015, pp. 97-117; Zulch 2014, pp. 1000-1009; Parham & Li 2018, p. 45-459). This shows that the research topic of project communication management is dominated by studies which has created awareness about effective communication management in projects. Nevertheless, there is still a huge research gap in the challenges of communication management in projects implementation which this study aims to address. A study by Parham & Li (2018, p. 45-459) which revealed that communication management in several industries varies would provide a multi-dimensional analysis on communication management and its specificity to certain industries in this study. A study conducted by Mnkandla (2014, pp. 1-8) revealed communication in project implementation goes beyond information, and the barrier to communication in project performance are the instruments and technologies used to pass information. Asrat (2018, pp. 1- 55), Lubis (2014, pp. 473-481), and Hodgkinson (2009, pp. 1-5) agree with this as they assert that communication plans, methods, and tools play a major role in project implementation. While Hodgkinson (2009, pp. 1-5) asserts that the use of communication tools that members of the projects and stakeholders are not familiar with, may cause a major challenge that can impede project implementation, Asrat (2018, pp. 1-55) and Lubis (2014, pp. 473-481) opines that an effective communication plan between project managers, stakeholders, and other parties involved
is the major determinant of a successful project implementation. These studies will address the objective of the study on tools of communication and their impacts on projects implementation and performance.
Another study conducted by Hanakawa (2004, pp. 316-323) which revealed the extent to which a project can be compromised through bad communication management will provide a base to this study’s attention to the effects of poor communication on project implementation. This study will research particular projects in big and small companies and investigate their channels of communication, tools, and technologies used to pass information across to stakeholders, project managers, and other professionals. Analyzing communication and how it affects their performance will address one of the objectives of this study and provide a further understanding of how effective communication plays a huge role in projects implementation.
Research approach or methodology proposed
There is a need to analyze how the research intends to deliver the aims and objectives of the study. In this study, the mixed method of research will be employed and the objective is to examine project implementation and communication management while addressing the study’s aim and objectives. Creswell & Clark (2007, pp. 209-240) explains that this method is appropriate because it provides a wide range of options for the research and it helps the research to deliver objectives that cannot be addressed by quantitative or qualitative methods alone. The study will use the purposive sampling technique which allows the researcher to examine participants based on the knowledge of the project implementation and communication management. Data will be gotten from engineers, architects, construction managers, and project managers of companies involved in big and small projects. The use of quantitative data will be made possible through a self-administered online-based questionnaire. The completed questionnaires will be used to gather primary data which will be added to the survey software to produce statistical data. Afterward, the data will be transformed into tables, charts, and diagrams to properly explain the challenges of communication management in project implementation. A focus group discussion will also be conducted to critically observe and analyze the opinions of the participants towards the challenges of communication management in their various projects and industries. Furthermore, Archival research, journal articles and library research will also be used in the study to serve as secondary data. The use of secondary data in this study will provide an in-depth understanding of the research topic and helps to make the data more specific (Perez-Sindin 2017, pp. 1577-1579). Afterward, the results from the primary data will be compared with the secondary data to analyze and determine the challenges of communication management in project implementation.
